DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
The indicated allowability of claims 3, 10, and 18 each is withdrawn in view of the newly discovered reference(s) to Koo et al. (U.S. 2019/0132987). Rejections based on the newly cited reference(s) follow.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-3, and 8-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Koo et al. (U.S. 2019/0132987).
As to claim 1, Koo discloses a support composite plate (frame 100 or flexible display unit 10), as shown in figures 1-7 comprising
at least one bending area (110) and non-bending areas (120) positioned on both sides of the bending area, and
wherein the support composite plate (100) further comprises:
a support layer (110, 120), wherein at least one opening (111-114) is defined on the support layer and corresponds to the bending area (110);
a buffer layer (23 or 23a, 23b) disposed in the bending area (110) and filling the opening (111-114); and
a hardened layer (21, 22) disposed on the buffer layer (23);
wherein the buffer layer (23) overlaps at least a part of the support layer (i.e. element 110), and the at least one opening comprises two openings (111 or 112 or 113-114) having different cross-sectional shapes.
As to claim 8, Koo discloses a manufacturing method of a support composite
Plate (10 or 100), wherein the support composite plate comprises at least one bending area (110) and non-bending areas (120) positioned on both sides of the bending area, the method comprises following steps:
providing a support layer (the layers 110, 120) defined with at least one opening (111-114);
forming a buffer layer (23) on the support layer, wherein the buffer layer fills (23a, 23b) the opening and overlaps at least a part of the support layer; and
forming a hardened layer (21, 22) on the buffer layer (23);
wherein the at least one opening comprises two openings (111 or 112 or 113 or 114) having different cross-sectional shapes.
As to claims 2, 9, Koo discloses edges of two ends of the buffer layer (23) are flush with edges of two ends of the support layer (110, 120).
As to claims 3, 10, Koo discloses in figure 22 that the at least one bending area comprises a first bending area (510’) and a second bending area (510”);
wherein the two openings comprise a first opening (in the region 510’) and a second opening (in the region 510”) defined on the support layer, the first bending area (510’) corresponds to the first opening, the second bending area (510”) corresponds to the second opening, and a cross-sectional shape of the first opening is different from a cross-sectional shape of the second opening.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 4-5, 11-12, and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Koo et al. (‘987) in view of Wang et al. (‘929) cited in the record.
Regarding claims 4, 11, Koo discloses all of the limitations of claimed invention except for the support layer comprises at least one protrusion extending toward the opening and disposed in the bending area.
Wang teaches the support layer (the bottom 110) comprises at least one protrusion (the groove or vertical wall to form the opening) extending toward the opening and disposed in the bending area (20).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Wang employed in the support composite plate and its method of Koo in order to provide excellent bonding characteristic.
Regarding claims 5, 12, Koo discloses all of the limitations of claimed invention except for an adhesive layer disposed on one side of the hardened layer away from the
support layer.
Wang teaches an adhesive layer (a flat layer or encapsulation layer 300, the flat layer is made from flexible polymers, see note as above) disposed on one side of the hardened layer (the top 110) away from the support layer (the bottom 110), see figure 17.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Wang employed in the support composite plate and its method of Koo in order to provide excellent bonding characteristic.
Regarding claim 15, Koo discloses all of the limitations of claimed invention except for the buffer layer is composited with the support layer by a hot-pressing process or a laminating process.
Wang discloses the buffer layer (120) is composited with the support layer (110) by a hot-pressing process or a laminating process (the fabricating process).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Wang employed in the support composite plate and its method of Koo in order to increase structure strength, and improve barrier properties.
Claim(s) 16-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (‘929) in view of Koo et al. (‘987).
As to claim 16, Wang discloses a display module (a display device, para-0020+),
Comprising
a support composite plate (100), a backplate (300) disposed on the support composite plate, and a display panel (200) disposed on the backplate;
wherein the support composite plate (100) comprises:
at least one bending area (20) and non-bending areas (10), see figure 1,
positioned on both sides of the bending area (20), and wherein the support composite plate (100), para-0043, further comprises:
a support layer (bottom metal layer 110, figure 8, or 110B, figure 9, para-0043+),
wherein at least one opening (111) is defined on the support layer (110) and corresponds to the bending area (20);
a buffer layer (120, para-0043) disposed in the bending arca and filling the opening (111, para-0046); and
a hardened layer (top metal layer 110) disposed on the buffer layer (120);
wherein the buffer layer (120) overlaps at least a part of the support layer (110).
Wang does not specifically disclose the at least one opening comprises two opening having different cross- sectional shapes.
Koo teaches a support composite plate (frame 100 or flexible display unit 10), as shown in figures 1-7 comprising the at least one opening comprises two openings (111 or 112 or 113-114) having different cross-sectional shapes.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Koo employed in the support composite plate of Wang in order to provide excellent flexability structure for the support plate.
As to claim 17, Wang as modified by Koo discloses edges of two ends of the buffer layer (120) are flush with edges of two ends of the support layer (110).
As to claim 18, Wang as modified by Koo teaches in figure 22 that the at least one bending area comprises a first bending area (510’) and a second bending area (510”); wherein the two openings comprise a first opening (in the region 510’) and a second opening (in the region 510”) defined on the support layer, the first bending area (510’) corresponds to the first opening, the second bending area (510”) corresponds to the second opening, and a cross-sectional shape of the first opening is different from a cross-sectional shape of the second opening.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Koo employed in the support composite plate of Wang in order to provide excellent flexability structure for the support plate.
As to claim 19, Wang as modified by Koo discloses the support layer (the bottom 110) comprises at least one protrusion (the groove or vertical wall to form the opening) extending toward the opening and disposed in the bending area (20).
As to claim 20, Wang as modified by Koo discloses the support composite plate (100) in figure 11 further comprises an adhesive layer (the second element 120) disposed on one side of the hardened layer (top 110) away from the support layer.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-7, and 13-14 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TUAN T DINH whose telephone number is (571)272-1929. The examiner can normally be reached 8am-5pm, M-F.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy Dole can be reached at 571-272-2229. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/TUAN T DINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
Prosecution Insights